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[quote=Anonymous]If your mom is at Stage 6, I might consult with a hospice for an evaluation. It can help you decide what to do because they can give you a rough estimate of her time left. I know it is difficult to think about, but once Alzheimer's patients hit Stage 7 and stop swallowing well things go downhill very fast.

When you tour places, focus on how they manage residents at the late stages. That means how they manage falls, UTIs, medications, constipation, hydration, pain/anxiety meds, and diet (pureed food, or supplementing). Some places are designed for different stages and phases. For example, lots of activities would be good for someone in an early stage, but at a late stage you want to make sure they are skilled at communicating with residents who can't anymore.

Stop by several times and try to look at residents themselves. Are they well groomed? How do residents/staff interact with them? Does the layout mean residents are often wandering around on their own unsupervised? What are the ratios? How often do they check on residents during the day and overnight? Do they have nurses/doctors that are on staff and can visit? What hospices do they work with? How often do they provide food/hydration?

For you to have true peace of mind you have to trust the place you are moving her to. It's like leaving a child at daycare for the first time. It takes awhile to build that trust. If your only reason for the move is because you think she is isolated, I would not move her. At Stage 6 she is not going to benefit much from activities or others anyway I would imagine? And the move might be stressful for her.

That being said, having teens at home with your mom has got to be hard, so that's a huge factor as well. You want to savor that time you have with your kids. [/quote]

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